A two-day Pakistan-Japan Friendship Bazaar was inaugurated on Saturday. Ms. Midori Matsushima, Member Japan-Pakistan Parliamentarians Friendship League and former Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, Japan was the Chief Guest at the ceremony. Speaking on the occasion, she said Japan enjoyed excellent relations with Pakistan since last 61 years. She thanked the Government and the people of Pakistan living in Japan for their help and assistance for Great East Japan Earthquake. She expressed her condolences for the victims of recent earthquake that hit Pakistan’s border areas with Iran. She stressed the need for more joint and concerted efforts to tackle calamities like earthquakes which hit both countries so frequently. She said that Pakistan-Japan Friendship Bazaar would further strengthen the relations and would bring the people of the two countries more closely together to understand each other’s culture and traditions.
The Ambassador speaking on the occasion said such Bazaars provide an opportunity to the people to observe the celebration of both cultures of the two countries.
Later on world renowned sports icon Antonio Inoki addressed the crowds accompanied by his team of wrestlers. The Ambassador announced that the Government of Pakistan had officially decided to designate Inoki as Goodwill Ambassador of sports, in recognition of his excellent work to promote friendship, peace and understanding through sports. He noted that turn out of large number of people during Inoki’s recent visit to Pakistan’s two big cities Lahore and Peshawar proved that Pakistanis were peaceful, a sports loving people.
On the second day of the Bazaar Former Prime Minister of Japan Mr. Yukio Hatoyama and his wife addressed ever larger crowds of visitors. Speaking to the audience, he said Japan and Pakistan had a long-lasting friendship which would be further strengthened. The people and the Governments of both countries had assisted each other with respect and dignity like close friends which was a great source of comfort and satisfaction especially during natural disasters.
He appreciated the spirit behind Pakistan-Japan friendship bazaars and said that it help understand Pakistan’s customs, music, art and culture to the Japanese people. He also praised the Pakistani food restaurants in Japan which had introduced Pakistani halal food to the Japanese people.
Later on Mr. Hatoyama visited different stalls and showed keen interest in Food, Hina Paintings and Kids Truck arts.
The bazaar included a lot of fun such as show up of Sumo Wrestlers, Khattack performance, Qawali, Ghazals, fusion of Japanese Taiko and Pakistani Dhol, Pakistani and Japanese food champ, Mehndi performance and Pakistani traditional music.
On both the days, the Bazaar at Ueno, a main Park of Tokyo attracted huge crowds. It proved popular with children and was greatly supported by the Pak-community’s presence. The visitors enjoyed Pakistani cuisine with long queues forming at the restaurants.
The two-day bazaar closing ceremony ended with the famous song, “Jeevay Jeevay Pakistan” where a large number of Pakistani community in Japan participated singing and waiving Pakistani green flags with great zeal and nationalistic spirit.